Thought everyone might to have a look at this - in case you missed it :-))

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7574684.stm

On Aug 21, 6:20 pm, "David Gartrell"
 wrote:
> Thought everyone might to have a look at this - in case you missed it :-)> http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7574684.stm

        V good pic but some of the text is a bit dodgy.  The mamma are
described as "several metres across".  That would be "several" in the
sense that I weigh several pounds.  Also the estimated cloud distance
of 15 miles seems grossly excessive.  If the cloud base is 3000 feet
then its altitude above the horizon would be no more than 3°.  I'd say
the cloud is about 3 miles away.

Tudor Hughes, Warlingham, Surrey.

Tudor Hughes wrote:
> On Aug 21, 6:20 pm, "David Gartrell"
>  wrote:
>> Thought everyone might to have a look at this - in case you missed it :-))
>>
>> http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7574684.stm
> 
>         V good pic but some of the text is a bit dodgy.  The mamma are
> described as "several metres across".  That would be "several" in the
> sense that I weigh several pounds.  Also the estimated cloud distance
> of 15 miles seems grossly excessive.  If the cloud base is 3000 feet
> then its altitude above the horizon would be no more than 3°.  I'd say
> the cloud is about 3 miles away.
> 
> Tudor Hughes, Warlingham, Surrey.


But, 3 miles is about 15,000 feet, perhaps the writer of the article 
wasn't very good at maths, somehow lost the 10^3, and ended up with 15. 
  Didn't like the idea of 15 feet.  So decided it was 15 miles.  New 
Maths it's all relative, make it up !

Joe Egginton
175m asl
Wolverhampton.